Officials aim to have healthiest city in NE

City and public health officials made their New Year’s resolution Tuesday — make Worcester the healthiest city in New England by 2020.

After six months of studies and research, City Manager Michael V. O’Brien and other health officials unveiled the Greater Worcester Community Improvement Plan.

“We’re working toward a state-of-the-art, first-class public health system for Worcester and other communities,” Mr. O’Brien said at the community meeting Tuesday morning in City Hall.

West Boylston, Holden, Leicester, Millbury and Shrewsbury entered a new partnership with Worcester’s Board of Health last year.

The comprehensive community health planning effort has five specific goals to improve the health of residents in Worcester and its suburbs: reduce obesity by encouraging healthy eating and active lifestyles; address behavioral and mental health issues in the community, which are tied together with the use and abuse of illegal drugs such as marijuana and legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine; improve access to primary care doctors for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, low-income residents, non-English speaking residents, and those with disabilities; prevent injuries caused by violence; and eliminate institutional racism that blocks African Americans and non-white Hispanic populations from getting better care for their higher-than-average rates of cancer, diabetes and asthma.

The planning effort is being led by the Worcester Division of Public Health, UMass Memorial Health Care and Common Pathways.

“We’re going to start worrying about health instead of health care,” said John O’Brien, president and chief executive officer of UMass Memorial HealthCare.

Monica E. Lowell, vice president of UMass Memorial Health Care Inc., Department of Community Relations, who was praised by officials for being the “coxswain” of the community health improvement plan, continued her work by inviting meeting participants to sign up for work groups at the conclusion of the briefing Tuesday morning.

“We really need all of you,” Ms. Lowell said.

Dr. Michael Hirsh, Worcester acting commissioner of public health said the comprehensive health initiative will provide the roadmap to make Worcester not only the healthiest city, but the most desirable city in New England.

“I charge everyone: 2013 will be a formative and seminal year for our process,” Dr. Hirsh said.

About 100 people attended the community meeting, and Dr. Hirsh caught himself when he urged people to sign up for the work groups by enticing them with snacks.